GEORGIA CLE REQUIREMENTS 

Who is considered an Experienced Attorney in Georgia? 

An Experienced Attorney in Georgia is one who has already completed their first compliance period and the Newly Admitted Requirement for Georgia attorneys.  

 

What are the CLE requirements for Georgia Experienced Attorneys? 

The mandatory CLE requirement for active Georgia Experienced Attorneys is 12 credit hours, including 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism every year. Trial Attorneys also need to complete 3 trial skills credits in the year in which they appear as a sole or lead counsel in a contested civil or criminal trial case. The three trial credits are included in the 12 total and are not an additional requirement.  

 

How can Experienced Attorneys fulfill their CLE credits for Georgia? 

Experienced Attorneys in GA can fulfill their CLE requirements by taking courses that have been individually approved by the Georgia Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency, or that are offered by providers who have been granted presumptive approval by GA CCLC. Courses may be completed in a number of formats, including:  In-House/Self-Study: (limited to 6 credits annually) 

• Online computer CLE activities 
• Video or Audio replays of live CLE activities 
• CD-ROM and DVD interactive CLE activities  

• CLE programs held in-house at the attorney’s law firm 

Live CLE: 

• Traditional, in-person CLE programming held in a classroom setting 

 

Are there additional methods Experienced Attorneys in Georgia can fulfill their CLE requirements? 

Yes! Experienced Attorneys in GA can earn CLE credits through the following methods: 

• Teaching. Attorneys in Georgia may earn credit for non-paid teaching activities. Georgia attorneys earn 3 credits for every hour of presentation. These activities must first be approved by the Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency. 
• Authoring a legal article. Attorneys can receive up to 6 hours of CLE credit by writing a legal article that is published in an acknowledged publication focused on attorneys. The credit hours include the time of research and writing the article with content beyond ordinary practice law. 
• Organizing a CLE Activity. If an attorney organizes a CLE activity but doesn’t actually give a presentation, the attorney will receive CLE credit as if they had made a 1-hour presentation. If there are co-chairpersons involved in creating the activity, the credit will be divided on the basis of each attorney’s’ contribution. Attorneys requesting this type of credit should pay, or arrange for the sponsor to pay, the normal attendee fee. 
• Trial Observation. CLE credit may be awarded for observing Jury trials, bench trials, motion hearings and appellate court arguments in any Federal or State court, or administrative hearings, trials and probate court, and mediations/arbitrations. Trial Observation is treated as In-House CLE Programming and included in the 6 credits per year limitation of In-House CLE. Please see the GA Bar Rules for additional details and restrictions regarding Trial Observation for CLE credit. 

 

What is the deadline for GA Experienced Attorneys to complete their CLE requirements? 

Attorneys must complete their continuing legal education requirements by December 31st every year.  

 

Can GA Experienced Attorneys carry over CLE credits from one cycle to the next? 

Yes! Experienced Attorneys can carry over excess credits into the next cycle. Attorneys can carry over credits into the next year with the following maximums: 

• 12 Regular CLE credits 
• 2 Ethics 
• 3 Trial Skills 
• 2 Professionalism    

• 6 Distance Learning credits 

 

How many credits can GA attorneys complete on CLE Companion? 

Attorneys can complete 11 of your 12 required credits via On Demand or Live Stream courses on CLE Companion. Our Georgia course catalog can be found here.    

GA CLE REQUIREMENTS – NEWLY ADMITTED ATTORNEYS 

Who is considered a Georgia Newly Admitted Attorney? 

Attorneys in Georgia have considered Newly Admitted from their date of admission until the end of the following calendar year. 

What are the CLE requirements for GA Newly Admitted Attorneys? 

Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete the Transition Into Law Practice Program (TILPP), which is comprised of two components: 

• Attending the Enhanced Bridge-the-Gap Program or the Fundamentals of Law Practice program of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, or a comparable CLE program that has been approved by the Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency 

• Completing a Mentoring Plan of Activities and Experiences 

 

What is the deadline for GA Newly Admitted Attorneys to complete their CLE requirements? 

Newly Admitted Attorneys in Georgia must complete their entire Newly Admitted CLE requirement by the end of the calendar year following their admission.  

 

Can Newly Admitted Attorneys in GA carry over CLE credits from one cycle to the next? 

No. Newly Admitted Attorneys in Georgia may not carry over CLE credits into their next reporting cycle. 

 

What if a Newly Admitted Attorney in GA is already admitted in another state? 

Attorneys who have been admitted to practice for 2 or more years in another US jurisdiction immediately prior to their admission to the Georgia State Bar are exempt from the Transition Into Law Practice Program if they submit an affidavit with the date(s) of their admission(s) to the Commission of Continuing Lawyer Competency within 3 months of their admission. Attorneys will instead be required to complete the requirements for Experienced Attorneys in GA beginning at the start of the next full calendar year.  

 

What if a Newly Admitted Attorney in GA is a Judicial Law Clerk? 

Attorneys who are judicial law clerks or who have a clerkship beginning within 3 months of their admission to the Georgia State Bar are exempt from the Transition Into Law Practice Program if they submit an affidavit with the date(s) of their admission(s) to the Commission of Continuing Lawyer Competency within 3 months of their admission. Attorneys will instead be required to complete the requirements for Experienced Attorneys in GA beginning at the start of the next full calendar year.  After the clerkship ends, GA attorneys must notify the CCLC within 30 days and complete the Transition Into Law Practice Program by the end of the following calendar year. 

GEORGIA CLE REQUIREMENTS – COMPLIANCE & REPORTING 

How do GA attorneys report their attendance? 

In Georgia, Accredited Sponsors of CLE activities are required to submit attendance lists of each program to the CCLC within 30 days after the program completion.   CLE Companion reports each month’s credits at the beginning of the following month. Please ensure that your bar number is filled out in your profile.  

 

How do Georgia attorneys certify their CLE compliance? 

At the end of each year, the Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency will send an Annual Report to all active, non-exempt Georgia attorneys. The report will contain a record of all CLE attendance for that year, and attorneys have until January 31st to submit any necessary corrections to the Commission. 

 

What is the deadline for GA attorneys to certify their CLE compliance? 

Georgia attorneys must return their annual report to the Commission by January 31st each year. 

ADDITIONAL CLE RESOURCES FOR GEORGIA ATTORNEYS 

State Contact Info 

GA Commission of Continuing Lawyer Competency   50 Hurt Plaza   Atlanta, GA 30303   404-527-8700   cle@gabar.org http://www.gabar.org/ 

Georgia CLE FAQ Page 

Georgia CLE FAQ Page  

Georgia’s Accredited Approved Sponsor List 

https://www.gabar.org/membership/cle/sponsors.cfm  

GA Newly Admitted Lawyer Information 

https://www.gabar.org/membership/tilpp/upload/Executive-Summary-BL.pdf    

Mandatory CLE Exemptions for GA Attorneys 

https://www.gabar.org/aboutthebar/faq/faqs.cfm?filter=Mandatory%20Continuing%20Legal%20Education